Clutch mechanism



0d. 7, 1941. F. A. NIEMANN v 2,257,759

CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed March 11, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 N VENT OR. fiea e/Z'i/i M52274)? BY M v ATTORNEY.

06L 7,, 1941. F, A NIEMANN 2,257,759

- 7 CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed March 11, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR. 2a flag (172M 1i flmamz BY m 6. W

ATTORNEY. I

Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITEDCSTATEIS PATENT OFFICE CLUTCH MECHANISM Frederick. A. Niemann, IlL, assignor to Felt a Tar-rant vMi'g. 00., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application March 11,1939, Serial No. 261,292

'6Claims.

movement of the driving member relative to the driven member when the magnitude of the resisting force set up by the former exceeds a predetermined value.

Another important object of the invention isthe' provision of frictional connections between a driving member and a driven member which may be readily adjusted to vary the force exerted thereby toresist relative movement between the driven and driving members.

A further important object of the invention is the provision of such connections which include a volute or flat coil spring formed and housed to exert pressure in a lateral or axial direction of a substantially constant magnitude within its working range.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the I invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is an end elevational view, with parts broken away, of a clutch mechanism embodying the features of the instant invention;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. l with the parts shown in extended position;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the I spring and end plate therefor removed;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the pressure plate-and balls removed;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the driving member of the clutch mechanism removed; I

Figure 6 is an elevational view of the spring in extended position;

I Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line |-l of Fig. 1; Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical sectional view parted thereto of constant amplitude, while the driven member is positively stopped after having received a variable increment of motion, the extent of movement of the driven member depending upon the digital value of the particular key denominationally associated with the clutch mechanism that has been depressed. The details of the latter mechanism are disclosed in the patent above referred'to and, since they form no part of the instant invention, are not illustrated herein.

The clutch mechanism shown in the drawings comprises a driving member ii, a driven member l2; and connections therebetween, indicated generally by reference numeral l3, which permit limited movement of the driving member relative to the driven member when the magnitude of the resisting force set up by the former exceeds a predetermined value. The driven member i2 comprises a lever I4 through which a hub i5 extends (Fig'. 7) which is rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. Exteriorly of the lever i4, one end of the hub i5 is provided with a flange 16 having at its outer end a reduced portion 20. The hub I5 is rigidly held against the lever M in any suitable manner. .The lever ii, in the specific embodiment of the invention which is intended for use in the calculating machine of the patent above referred to, comprises one arm of an actuating sector which is adapted to operate the accumulator mechanism of the calculating machine, the other arms of such actuating sector also being shown as broken off in Figs. 1 to 5.

A stud l l extends through and is rigidly secured to the lever ii in any suitable manner, and is provided with an enlarged head portion on one side of the lever which is adapted to be,engaged by a bifurcated arm l8 (Fig. 5) formed asan ex-' tension of a driving disc l9, which is mounted upon and secured to the hub l5 directly adjacent and in contact with the lever ll. The hub I5 in the instant'embodiment is provided with an undercut portion which is'adapted to be upset to rigidly secure the hub I5, lever I l and disc "together as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The outer face of the disc I! is provided with four similar recesses 2| extending circumferentially around and-sloping upwardly from the deeper portion 22 toward the relatively shallow circular portion 23. A ball 25 is movably disposed in each of the recesses 2| (Figs. 7 and 8). The cam surface 24 is sloped upwardly to retard the return speed of the ball as hereinafter described:

The driving member comprises a disc having a central bore of slightly larger diameter tures 25 extending therethrough which areequally spaced circumferentially around the central bore (Fig. 4) and are of substantially the same diameter as the balls 25, one of the latter being slidably disposed within each of said apertures. The driving member H is also provided with diametrically opposed extensions 21 and 28. The extension 21 is formed with an arcuate recess which is adapted to engage the stud ll of the driven member I2. The extension 28 is provided with an aperture within which a suitable bearing sleeve 29 is press fitted. This extension 28 is adapted to be connected in any suitable manner with a source of power for imparting reciprocating motion to the drivin member II, the driving stroke of the member II being in a clockwise direction, viewing Figs. 1 to 5, with the idle or return stroke being in the opposite or counter-clockwise direction.

The end of the hub I opposite that to which the driven member I2 is secured is threaded for a portion of its length at 3| (Fig. 7), and for part of the length of the threaded portion, is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed, flattened surfaces 32. A hearing sleeve 33 (Figs. '7 and 8) is screwed onto the threaded portion 'SI of the hub I5 and is provided at its inner end with a relatively thin annular extension 34 which is disposed between the central bore of the driving member I I and the hub I5 to form a bearing for the driving member. Intermediate its length and directly adjacent the inner end of the extension 34, the sleeve 33 is provided with an annular flange 35 which prevents axial movement an enlarged bore at its inner end which is adapted to slidably engage the outer surface of the bearing sleeve 33. The outer portion of the thrust member 31 is provided with a bore of slightly smaller diameter than that ofits inner end which is flattened on each of two diametrically opposed sides at 38 (Fig. 3) to slidably enage the flattened surface 32 of the hub I5. In this manner, the thrust member 31 is permitted to slide longitudinally of the hub I5 on the hearing sleeve 33, while being prevented from rotating relative thereto. Adjacent its inner end, the thrust member 31 is also provided with an annular flange 39 against which the inner end of a volute or flat coiled spring 4| is adapted to engage.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the spring 4| is coiled in volute form from a flat strip of metal. In order to function in the desired manner and to permit it to be subjected to an almost indefinite number of compressive actions, the spring H is suitably tempered after having been coiled or formed as shown in Fig. 6. When assembled with the other elements of the connecting mechanism I3, as shown in Fig. 4, the outer portion of the spring H is housed and engaged by a suitable cap member 42. The cap member 42 is adapted to be rigidly retained in any selected adjusted position by a pair of suitable lock nuts 43 which are threaded upon the outer end of the hub I5.

with this arrangement, the amount of pressure exerted by the spring 4I against the thfiist member 31, pressure plate 36 and balls 25 may be varied by screwing the nuts 43 inwardly or outwardly on the hub I5. The reactive force of the spring H is exerted in a lateral or axial direction against the thrust member 31 at the inner end of the spring. It will be seen, particularly from Fig. 7, that the spring II is so constructed and arranged that, while axial movement of the cap member 42 will result in the spring exerting a greater or lesser amount of pressure against the thrust member 31, outward movement of the member 31 against the inner end of the spring, if limited to a very short distance, will result in the spring exerting a substantially constant force thereagainst throughout such distance. This relatively short distance through which the thrust member 31 will be moved con-' stitutes the working range of the spring 4|,

In the operation of the clutch mechanism above described, the driving member II has an oscillating motion applied thereto through the agency of the extension 28, which may be divided into a driving cycle and an idle or return cycle. The driving cycle comprises rotation of the member II in a clockwise direction (viewing Figs. 1 to 5), while the return cycle comprises rotation thereof in a reverse direction. Preferably, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the hub I5 is provided with an axial bore 45, so that it may be mounted upon a suitable supporting shaft to facilitate rotation or oscillation of the clutch mechanism thereon.

In the normal position of the clutch mechanism, as shown in Figs. 1 and 7, the extension 21 of the driving member II abuts against the stud I1 of the driven member I2, and the balls 25 are disposed within the shallow portions 23 of their respective recesses 2| in the disc I9. If the balls were to be held rigidly in engagement with these circular portions 23 of the recesses, any rotative movement imparted to the driving member II would be transmitted thereby to the driven member I2. However, the axial force exerted by the spring 4| is the only .thing that is maintaining the balls in these shallow portions 23 of the recesses 2|. reactive force of sufllclent magnitude is applied to the driven member I2 while the driving member I I is being rotated, the balls 25 will be forced outwardly from the shallow portions 23 of the recesses 2I onto the sloping surfaces 24 of said recesses against the action of the spring 4|, moving the pressure plate 36, the thrust member 31 and the inner end of the spring 4| to the right, viewing Fig. '7. This will result in the driving member II being moved or rotated relative to the driven member I2.

It will be understood that the magnitude of the reactive force which it is required to be applied to the driven member I2 in order to effect movement of the driving member II relative thereto may be varied within certain limits by adjusting the axial position of the lock nuts 43. Having once applied suflicient reactive force to the driven member I2 to cause the balls 25 to be moved out of the shallow circular portions 23 onto the sloping surfaces 24, continued application of the same amount of reactive force to the driven member I2 coupled with continued rotation of the driving member II, will result in the balls 25 being moved along the full extent of the surfaces 24 and into the relatively deep portions 22 of the. recesses 2I. Since the surfaces 24 slope inwardly In this direct on, an in- Consequently, if a spring I l crease in thereactive force being applied to the driven member l2 will not be necessitated in order to result in continued movement of the driving member I I relative tothe driven member I2. Also, as explained above, the force exerted by the spring 4| during the full extent of movement of the members 36 and 31, which constitutes the working range of the spring, is substantially constant. a

The relative positions of the driving and driven members, with the balls 25 disposed within the end portions 22 of the recesses 2|, is illustrated in Fig. 2. Return movement of the driving member II, with the instant mechanism, will be relative tothe driven member 12 until the extension 21 contacts the stud I'I. Thereafter, further return movement of the driving member II will result in similar movement of the driven member l2. In such return movement of the driving.

member If relative to the driven member I2, the balls will be returned to their original positions in the shallow portions 23 of the recesses 2|. The sloping cam surface 24 retards the return speed by increasing the compression of the In order to more fully illustrate the relative movements between the several parts recesses and extending through said driving of the instant clutch mechanism, reference is with the sloping surfaces 24 of the recesses 2|.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely'a preferred embodiment thereof.

Iclaim:

l. Slip clutch mechanism, comprising a driving member mounted for oscillating movement, a driven member mounted for oscillating movement, and connections therebetween to permit limited movement by said driving member of said driving member relative to said driven member. including balls dispowd withinw associated recesses in said members, and a volute spring so constructed and arranged as toexert a substantially constant-pressure within its working range in an axial direction to resiliently restrain said balls against movement relative to said recesses in a direction normal to the planes of movement of said members. I I

2. Slip clutch mechanism, comprising a driving member mounted for oscillating movement, a driven member mounted for oscillating movement, and connections therebetween to permit limited movement by said driving member of said members relative to eachother, including balls disposed within associated recesses of said members. the recesses in said driving member ex? tending therethrough and the diameter of said balls being greater than the thickness of said driving member so that said balls project beyond said driving memberin adirectionnormaltothe planes of movement of said members, a pressure plate, and a volute spring so constructed and arranged as to maintain said pressure plate in constant 0011M with said balls to menu! retain saidballsin'said recesses'toresistmovement' of movement. of

end against said plate in an axial direction to 3. Slip clutch mechanism, comprising a rotatable shaft, adriven member secured to said shaft, a driving member rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent said driven member, a plurality of recesses, each of varying depth, formed in the surface ofsaid driven member adjacent said driving'member, apertures associated with 4. Slip clutch mechanism, comprising a rotat-' able shaft, a driven member'secured. to said shaft, a driving member rotatably mounted on said shaft adjacent said driven member, aplurality of recesses, each of varying depth, formed in the surface of said driven member adiacent said driving member, apertures associated with said member, shall disposed within each of said recesses and extending through the associated aperture, a pressure plate mounted on said shaft in engagement with said balls, a volute spring surrounding said shaft and exerting pressure at one yieldably mist movement of said balls axially of said shaft, and means for preventing movement of the other end of said spring relative to said shaft, said last means being adjustable axially of said shaft to vary the pressure exerted by said spring. 5. Slip clutch mechanism, comprising a driving member mounted for oscillating movement, a driven'member mounted for oscillating movement, and connections therebetween to permit limited movement by said driving member of said direction normal to the planes of movement of.

said members.

8. Slip clutch mechanism, comprising a driving member mounted for oscillating movement,

a driven member mounted for oscillating movement by said driving member, and connections therebetween to permit limited movement of said members relative to each other, including balls disposed within associated recesses of said members, tberecesses in said driving member extending therethrough, a pressure disc, a thrust plate mounted for sliding movement in a direction nora 7 mal to the planes of movement of, said members and having means for preventing movement relative to said members parallel to said planes of movement thereof, and a volute spring so constructed and arranged'as to exert'pressure a ainst said thrust plate to maintain said prusurediscin-constantcontactwithsaidballsto resiliently retain said balls in said a t sist movement thereof at alLtimes relative to said members in a direction normal to the planes of movement of the latter.

FREDERICK A. NIEMANN. 

